


The Fox And The Crow: A Tale Of Two Captains

by SpaceJammie



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Also ill probably mix up some canon stuff and if so just pretend it was on purpose, Canon Compliant, Daikita, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oddly Specific Fic For My Oddly Specific Interests, Post-Canon, Rare Pairings, Rare pair stans deserve nice things so im trying to do my part, Spoilers, Spoilers past season 4 and probably season 5 or 6 as well, Sugawara Koushi is a Good Friend, This is a ship that snuck up on me, super fast burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:42:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27960971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceJammie/pseuds/SpaceJammie
Summary: Daichi and Kita have a chance meeting after their volleyball game is over.Then there are feelings, and they might just be mutual.
Relationships: Kita Shinsuke/Sawamura Daichi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 42





	1. The Bittersweet Defeat

**Author's Note:**

> I don't usually write DaiKita, but here I am. Hope you enjoy. 
> 
> Also, there are major spoilers for those that have not read the manga.

Daichi was riding high on the victory against Inarizaki. He felt euphoric and emotional, as did his whole team. It was evident by how they all rushed onto the court right after Hinata had scored the final point. And now the cheers of the audience were ringing loudly in his ears.

The game had been close, as well as very long lasting. The moment when the ball almost slipped away from Tsukishima was terrifying. But Daichi had been there, and was able to get the ball back up to keep things connected. That second in time had been faster than any other second in his whole life, but he had been able to respond. He had kept the ball in play. 

Daichi felt pride in himself, and in his teammates. They had really done it; they had made it through the day and would get to keep playing at nationals. The game against Inarizaki was not going to be Daichi's last one, and it was such a relief to get to stay on the court just a little bit longer. He wanted to savor the last games of his volleyball career; he knew he wouldn’t be playing after high school. 

But more importantly, it was finally going to happen: the battle at the garbage dump. Daichi knew that Kuroo and his team were out there somewhere, sharpening up their claws and getting ready for the fight. Just thinking about it gave him an excited chill. 

Once he had congratulated each of his teammates as they all clustered together on the court, he ordered everyone to line up to shake hands with their opponents. Then he himself immediately went over to Inarizaki's captain. And Kita Shinsuke was a captain with an immense presence. How much the atmosphere of the court changed when Kita stepped onto it had not escaped his notice. And the respect that the Inarizaki team had for their captain was obvious, so Daichi couldn't help but to feel some admiration as well. That kind of regard was contagious.

Their gazes met right as their hands did, and Daichi saw many things reflecting in Kita's eyes: sadness, disappointment, frustration, defeat. Yet there was still a remaining sense of pride. And those were all things that Daichi knew he himself would be feeling had Karasuno lost. 

But there was something else reflecting from Kita's eyes; it was respect and approval. As the two captains shook hands firmly, Kita's grasp lingered longer than necessary. And Daichi continued to grip Kita's hand as well. Neither of them seemed willing to yield and let go first. Whether that was from their pride as captains, or something more, Daichi wasn't sure. All he knew was that he would keep gripping Kita's hand until his fellow captain released him. And he felt that part of himself didn't want to be freed from Kita's hold, but he wasn’t quite sure why that was at the moment.

"You played well, Sawamura-san," Kita finally said, right before letting go of Daichi's hand. But he didn't walk away yet; he had more to say. "I was impressed with your ability to rally your team around you, and with how you kept a solid presence on the court. I recognize dedication when I see it. I wish your team luck in your next game, and I'll be sure to watch from the stands so I can cheer for you." 

Daichi nodded gratefully at Kita, but he was also thinking something to himself.  _ 'He didn't say he would cheer for Karasuno. He said he would cheer for me.' _

He knew that he was probably reading way too much into it, but he grinned a bit as he turned to walk away. He liked the idea of Kita cheering just for him; it made him feel warm and fluttery inside. And he knew what that meant. But he wasn’t going to take the time to think about feeling attracted to Kita when there were other things to focus on. 

After glancing back to look at Kita once more, Daichi quickly joined the rest of his team in bowing to the cheering section. He truly felt that if they had not been there, Inarizaki would have consumed them completely. Saeko and her group had really come through for Karasuno; Daichi decided that he would have the team write notes of appreciation as soon as they got back to their hotel.

The team gathered up and zipped on their jackets once the excitement settled down. They got their stuff, then piled their bags up while they waited for Ukai and Takeda to come back from talking to the reporters. But while Daichi was leaving the group to go use the bathroom, he happened to overhear Kita talking to some of his Inarizaki teammates in a stairway. 

Kita was speaking calmly in a voice full of pride and sincerity. "It ain't every day that you get to play a game like that, against such a strong team. We got lucky."

Then Daichi heard one of the players whisper to another. "Kita smiled so much during that game."

Kita continued to speak, either not hearing or not acknowledging his teammate's comment. "So don't apologize. You guys did your best, you chose the right play at the end. I really thought you'd score. I have no regrets with how our team played. I know that I did everything the proper way, with my best effort. So did you. Winning and losing are just side effects of us having done what we should have…. But you know… I wish I had more chances to brag about you. I wanted to keep on showin’ off how good my teammates are."

The twins replied after a moment, speaking in turn. 

"Go ahead and brag about us, captain," one said. 

"We'll be the kind of teammates you can brag about long into the future," the other said. 

Daichi heard the emotion and respect in their voices, and he was sure that it must have resonated deeply with their captain. He knew it would have for him, if his teammates had said the same thing. It was very moving even from an outside perspective. 

Kita cleared his throat; his voice was thick with emotion as he spoke. "I look forward to it."

Daichi hurried away at that point, feeling guilty for overhearing such a touching moment. 

Kita was a good captain. And he seemed like a good guy. Daichi wished he had something to say that would help Kita feel better, captain to captain. While he was thankful for Karasuno's victory, he regretted that he had made such a great team taste the bitterness of defeat. He knew how heavy that must feel. Especially as a third year playing the last game of their high school career.

Daichi had made it to the bathroom and was washing his hands when Kita happened to walk in. There were tears in his eyes, and it seemed likely that he had been hoping for a place to privately cry. So Daichi felt terrible for being in the bathroom at that time; he was probably the last person Kita wanted to see. 

But to his surprise, Kita bowed to him. And his voice was shaky with emotion as he spoke from his bowed position. "I want to congratulate you again, Sawamura-san. That was a good match. I'm honored to have played against you in my last volleyball game."

Daichi finished drying his hands and then walked over to Kita. "Your team played well, Kita-san. I'll cherish the memories of the game we played today."

Kita stood up straight and reached out to take one of Daichi's hands, giving it a firm shake. "I'll hold onto the memories as well. I was wonderin’, would you be okay with exchangin’ phone numbers? I’d like to be able to congratulate you tomorrow, since I'm sure you'll win."

There were more tears in Kita's eyes, and Daichi knew how much the guy must be wishing he could be the captain who would be leading his team into another game. So it was very heart wrenching to be getting appreciation from him. 

Then Daichi realized that he and Kita were still holding hands even though they were not shaking them anymore. And Kita was holding into his hand with a tight grip; it seemed like his fellow captain was trembling a bit. Maybe it was from the emotions being held back. 

He gave Kita's hand a firm squeeze before letting go and pulling his phone out of his jacket pocket. "Yeah, I'd be happy to exchange numbers."

Kita gave a nod and pulled his own phone out. 

Once they had exchanged numbers, Daichi gave Kita a respectful bow before stepping around his fellow captain to leave the bathroom. But he stopped in the doorway when he heard Kita's breath hitch, followed by a sob. He debated with himself about whether or not he should offer comfort; it may not be welcome, despite how respectful Kita had been. But when the sounds of Kita's crying kept coming, it pulled at Daichi's heart strings. He turned around and walked back over, then put his hand on Kita's shoulder. 

Since he didn't know what to say, he just turned Kita around and pulled him into a hug. 

To Daichi's relief, Kita didn't seem upset by the gesture; he seemed grateful. His arms wrapped around Daichi's waist and his hands grabbed the back of Daichi's jacket, gripping handfuls of it tightly. Then he leaned down and pressed his face into Daichi's chest, letting the tears flow as sobs racked his shoulders.

Meanwhile, Daichi had his arms around Kita. They were both still sweaty and sticky from the game, but it didn't matter. Kita needed someone. And Daichi was just glad he could offer comfort to his admirable fellow captain. 

After a couple of minutes of Daichi holding Kita, someone opened the bathroom door. Kita didn't notice it, but Daichi did. So he turned and glanced behind himself. 

Suga was in the doorway; he had quickly taken in the scene of Daichi holding someone, and was now grinning mischievously while giving Daichi multiple exaggerated winks and a thumbs up. 

Of course, Daichi had told Suga that he was pansexual the year before; he had been very supportive. And he was always offering to be Daichi's wingman no matter how many times he said he didn't need one. But now he seemed to be taking the opportunity to act as one.

Suga mouthed some silent words to Daichi.  _ 'I'll guard the door for you.' _

With that, Suga closed the door softly. And Daichi knew that his best friend was probably standing outside the bathroom door to ward off anyone who might try to come in. While it was ridiculous, it was also very thoughtful. And it would be nice to avoid the risk of someone walking in. Now he could focus all his attention on Kita without worry about being interrupted. 

For a while, he just gently rubbed circles between Kita's shoulder blades. Then he ended up leaning his cheek against the side of Kita's hair. He closed his eyes and let himself be fully present in the moment, holding his fellow captain against himself. 

After several more minutes, Kita finally stopped crying. He sniffled as he leaned his face away from Daichi's chest. "Please excuse my outburst. I didn't realize how much the loss was weighin’ on me."

"You don't have to apologize. I'd be doing the same thing if the outcome had been in your favor. And I'm really sorry that you won't get to play another game," Daichi said softly. His arms were still around Kita's shoulders, just as Kita's hands were still balled up in the back of his jacket. 

Their faces were close when Kita looked at Daichi, and their gazes met; he seemed to be sharing something vulnerable based on his shaky voice. "This was the first year that I got my own uniform. It was a really big deal for me."

"That gives you all the more reason to mourn the loss," Daichi said gently as he reached to wipe some of the tears away with his thumb, though he kept his other arm around Kita. 

He thought the way Kita's eyes were glistening from the tears, while slightly red from the exertion of crying, made them look really beautiful. Then he felt rather embarrassed for thinking that while still holding his fellow captain. So he reluctantly moved his arms off of Kita's shoulders, though he wished he could have stayed and held him even longer. 

In response, Kita let go of Daichi's jacket and took a step back. But he kept his eyes on Daichi's. They both stared silently at each other as the moment dragged on, and neither of them seemed willing to break their locked gaze. 

But it finally ended when Kita cleared his throat and pulled out a handkerchief, then wiped his eyes. "Thank you, Sawamura-san. For your support."

Daichi nodded; one of his hands moved forward for the shortest moment, as though he had subconsciously wanted to pull Kita back into a hug. But he let his hand drop back down to his side as he spoke. "No problem. You gonna be okay?"

Kita gave a soft smile. "I will be eventually."

"Alright. Feel free to text me later," Daichi replied as Kita moved to walk out of the bathroom. Then he went to leave as well, following closely behind Kita. 

And just as expected, Suga was standing outside the door. He had just finished telling someone to find another bathroom as Daichi and Kita were walking out. So he turned around and grinned widely, but then he saw Kita's red rimmed eyes; it was pretty evident that he had been crying. Suga cocked his head slightly as Kita walked by him, then turned to look at Daichi with a curious expression.

"Sawamura Daichi, did you break that guy's heart just now?" Suga asked once Kita was out of earshot. He had spoken with a serious tone, but his eyes were still giving an impish glint.

Daichi gave a nervous grin and scratched the back of his neck. "I wouldn't say that I alone broke his heart. I think our whole team broke it."

With a hum of understanding, Suga nodded. "I see. He was feeling the loss, then." His voice was sincere, as he too knew how heavy that must feel. But a short moment later, he slung an arm over Daichi's shoulders and gave him a playful shake. "And then you swooped in to comfort him, right? Beat him on the court and then steal his heart. That’s just what I’d expect from my captain."

Daichi felt himself blushing. "It wasn't like that… I just happened to be in the bathroom when he came in."

"Sure, of course," Suga said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "So did you get his number?"

Daichi’s blush deepened and spread to his ears. They were almost back to the rest of the team now, and he dreaded having to explain why he was flustered. So he spoke quietly as he replied "I did get his number, actually." 

Suga gave a happy little howl. "Yeah, Daichi! Nice going! Winning games, winning hearts! All in a day's work for our beloved crow captain!"

Tanaka overheard that last bit and came swaggering over. "Hold on now, what's this I hear about Daichi winning someone's heart?"

Daichi sighed and ran a hand down his still reddened face. He really didn't need to be hounded about this by the team. "Nothing for you to worry about," he said sternly, while giving Suga an equally threatening look that all but screamed  _ 'you better not make this into a thing.' _

But then Asahi came over at that point and looked at Daichi with a dejected pout. "Do I get to know?"

"I'll tell you later, but it's really not a big deal," Daichi replied in a hushed tone. Then he clapped his hands together to get the attention of the team as he spoke up loudly. "Alright, guys! Good game! I'm proud of all of us! Let's get ready to head back to our hotel to get cleaned up! I think Takeda-sensei said he’s having a big meal delivered to celebrate our victory today!"

“We get a feast tonight, boys!” Suga yelled.

Everyone cheered with as much strength as they could muster. While they were all excited, they were equally exhausted. It had been a long game with Inarizaki, and everyone had given it their all. Daichi looked at each of his teammates with an expression of pride; he really couldn’t have asked for a better team than this. 

Ukai and Takeda came over just then, and they led the group out of the building. 

As they were walking outside, the color of Inarizaki's maroon jackets caught Daichi's attention from the corner of his eye. He glanced over and took in the sight of Kita, who was looking right back at him. They nodded to each other. And then Daichi felt his heart flutter a bit. He mentally scolded himself for it, though. It was just Suga's teasing that was getting to him and giving him ideas; it's not like Kita had any interest in him.

As his gaze lingered on Kita, he found himself checking the other captain out. He liked the way Kita's hair was black just at the tips. And he liked the curve of Kita's mouth. When he thought back to Kita's eyes when they had been standing so close in the bathroom, he recalled liking the earnesty and sincerity that he had seen in them.

Meanwhile, Kita was still staring at Daichi. He didn't look away until the Miya twins and Suna started giggling at him, which made him turn his gaze to the three of them. And that gaze immediately turned from soft and curious into harsh and scolding. His three teammates looked like they felt deeply reprimanded just from that one glance.

Daichi chuckled softly. He admired the way that Kita could keep control of his team with just a look. It gave him a sort of satisfied thrill, like secondhand pride as a captain who was admiring another captain. 

Suddenly there was an elbow in Daichi’s ribs; it was actually rather painful. And it was Suga, of course, who was elbowing him. When Daichi turned and saw that his whole team was staring at him, his blush returned in full force. Apparently he had stopped walking when he was looking at Kita. And they had all decided to wait for him. 

"L-o-v-e after just  _ one _ bathroom encounter?" Suga asked playfully. “I’m so happy for you! When’s the wedding?”

Daichi shoved Suga and tried to ignore the warmth of his blush covered face. "Let's get going, everyone!"

Nishinoya laughed from where he stood beside Hinata and Kinoshita. "We were just waiting on you, captain!"

Daichi ignored the looks and whispers from his teammates as he started walking along again. But he couldn't resist looking back over his shoulder once more. That’s when he saw Kita directing his team towards where a bus waited. And as the whole of Inarizaki started moving towards the bus, Kita glanced over at Daichi. Then he pulled out his phone and typed something on it before slipping it back into his pocket. Finally, he gave Daichi one last nod before walking away towards the waiting bus. 

As Daichi turned to follow his team ahead of him, he felt his pocket vibrate. So he pulled his phone out and checked it; there was a message. 

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ If you keep staring at me after holding me in the bathroom, I might get the wrong idea.  _

Daichi frowned. He hoped he hadn’t made Kita uncomfortable by staring; that certainly wasn't his intention. It’s just that he couldn't seem to help himself from checking the other captain out. So he typed out a quick reply and hit send.

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I'm sorry if I was being weird! I didn't mean to stare at you. _

Kita texted him back after just a minute. 

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ It's alright. I might have wanted to get the wrong idea. _

Daichi felt his ears warm up as a smile curled onto his lips. Was Kita flirting with him? It seemed like it. He had never had a guy return interest in him in a sincere way, so it seemed too good to be true. Especially since Kita was so confident and respectable. He felt pretty sure that the other captain was way out of his league. And now he wasn't sure how to respond to Kita's text, so his fingers were paused over his phone screen. 

Suga spoke up from beside Daichi, after having apparently been reading the messages without permission. "Oh my, Daichi! He really does like you!"

"Shush. Don't talk so loud," Daichi said in a whisper. Then he glanced at Suga hopefully. "Do you really think he does?"

Suga covered his mouth and giggled. "Uh, yeah! It's pretty obvious. He was checking you out just now, and that text is thirsty."

Daichi grinned sheepishly. "I'm not sure what to say back."

A mischievous smile crossed Suga's lips. "Tell him you want to give him a  _ really big _ wrong idea."

"I'm not going to send that!" Daichi said. Then he shoved Suga’s arm as they walked side by side. 

Then Asahi was suddenly at Daichi's other side, looking like he felt rejected. "I can give you advice about stuff, if you'd let me."

With a small sigh, Daichi held his phone towards Asahi. "I'm not sure what to say back."

Asahi's eyebrows raised slightly; but not from surprise about Daichi texting with a guy, since he already knew Daichi was pansexual. "Wow, he likes you!"

"Not so loud!" Daichi hissed. 

The rest of the team looked back at Daichi at that point, making him blush darkly once again; he seemed to barely have time for his blush to die down before a new one started. After running his hand over his face, he cleared his throat to address the team. "Watch where you're walking and mind your own business!"

Tsukishima seemed too tired to make a snarky comment. However, Hinata and Yamaguchi giggled; so did the second years. Then they started whispering something, but Daichi chose to ignore it as he looked back at Asahi with a desperate expression. 

"Well, what do I say to that?"

Asahi looked thoughtful. "Maybe just say  _ 'In that case, I'm glad I was staring' _ or something?"

With a grimace, Daichi shook his head. "I can't say that. It sounds creepy."

"Don't be shy,” Suga said as he elbowed Daichi again. “Just say whatever comes to mind. Leaving him on read would be the worst thing you could do."

Daichi nodded and looked back at his phone. It was true; giving no reply would make it seem like he wasn't interested in talking anymore. But he definitely  _ was _ feeling interested; he wanted to get to know Kita better. So he thought for a moment before typing out a message, and then hit send before he could lose his nerve. 

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I look forward to tomorrow since you said you’ll come to the game. I really hope to see you in the audience. _

Suga hummed as he read over Daichi's shoulder. "That's playing it a little safe, but I guess it works."

Daichi huffed and shoved his phone into his pocket. "Don't read my private messages."

" _ Ooooooooh _ so now you're going to have  _ private _ messages with him, are you?" Suga teased as he playfully wiggled his eyebrows. Then he laughed heartily at Daichi’s flustered expression. 

Asahi ended up giggling at that too. 

"I swear, if you two tease me, I'm not going to keep you updates about any other stuff that happens," Daichi threatened as he crossed his arms. 

"So you  _ are _ going to let me read the  _ private _ messages?" Suga said with an innocent smile as he batted his eyelashes. 

Daichi shook his head. "No. But if anything interesting comes from texting with Kita-san, like… a date, or something... I'll tell you about it. As long as you stop broadcasting my business so loudly."

Suga ran two fingers over his lips and twisted them as if he were sealing them shut. Then he winked and gave a thumbs up. And he looked like he was having way too much fun at Daichi's expense, which was nothing out of the ordinary; it was ironic that some people actually thought of him as angelic, because he was so far from it.

Daichi just grinned and rolled his eyes at Suga’s antics.

Once they made it back to the hotel, the whole team got cleaned up and shared a meal together. Then they watched the news coverage of their match. It seemed like Shimizu got as much screen time as they did, which both excited and infuriated Nishinoya and Tanaka. The pair were standing with their fists balled up for a fight.

"How dare they broadcast her beauty to the world! She might get stalkers now!" Nishinoya said vehemently.

Tanaka scowled. "I would never let a stalker get close to her!"

"Hush up, guys. I'm trying to watch the captain interviews," Ennoshita said sternly. 

Tanaka and Nishinoya reluctantly sat back down and watched more of the interviews, but it was obvious that they were still thinking about ways to protect Shimizu with half of their attention.

When Kita came on screen to be interviewed, Daichi's eyes focused on him. He was calm and polite in the interview, citing how well his team had played and saying he was proud of them all. He also said that he was very impressed with Karasuno as a whole, and that he admired the way the captain of Karasuno handled the pressure of the game. It seemed as though he had a particularly fond look when talking about Daichi.

As a result, Daichi felt himself blushing at the praise. By the time he realized that everyone had turned to look at him, he was sure that his cheeks must be bright red. So he cleared his throat and stood up quickly. "I need to go check something. Turn in for sleep when this is over!"

He ignored the questions in his teammates' eyes and the knowing smile on Suga's face as he left the room. Then he walked out to the small balcony, where he had reminisced about the game with Suga and Asahi earlier, and pulled out his phone. Seeing that he had a new message from Kita made him smile. They had been texting back and forth constantly since that first exchange earlier. 

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Are you nervous about tomorrow? _

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Not nervous, exactly. This is a match up we have been looking forward to for a very long time. Nekoma is something of a multi-generation rival for our school. So it means a lot to our coach, and their coach, that this game happens.  _

Daichi kept his messages open as he waited for Kita's response, and it came quickly. 

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I'm glad you'll get to have your fated match. I'll be watching from the stands, so make me proud. :) _

He felt himself blush as he read that last sentence. It almost felt like he was talking to someone he was dating, and it definitely felt like Kita was genuinely wishing him well. He was glad Kita's team would still be in town the next day, apparently for sightseeing. And it made him feel very special knowing that Kita was going to come watch him instead of going around town with his team.

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I won't let you down :) There's no way I'll let those cats beat my crows.  _

The next message came just as quickly as the others had; Kita must be focusing on the conversation as well. 

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I can't wait to watch. Seeing you play in today's game made me feel excited in a way I can't explain. _

Daichi stared at the message for almost a minute before replying. He wasn't sure if that was Kita being flirty, or just specifically about the game. He hoped it was flirting, though, and responded accordingly.

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Seeing you made me feel excited, too. _

He felt nervous after sending that; he wasn’t sure how it would be received. And it felt like forever before the response came.

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I'm happy to hear that. I'll be feeling the same way when I see you tomorrow. _

Daichi let out a sigh of relief, then let himself smile goofily. 

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I'll try to find you before the game starts, if you want. _

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Alright, I'll give you something for luck. I'm going to get some rest now. Goodnight, captain. _

Daichi wondered what Kita would be giving him for luck. Whatever it would be, the thought of it made him smile. And he also really liked Kita calling him captain. It gave him a different kind of feeling than when his teammates did it, like a thrilling shiver and a warm rush all at once. So he decided he would return the gesture.

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Can't wait for that luck, then. Goodnight, captain. ;) _

He really hoped that Kita was smiling at his message. Then he let out a little sigh as he walked back inside and went to get ready for bed. He needed his rest since tomorrow was a big day. When he was finally laid down for the night, he thought back over how the games at nationals had gone so far. And almost equally as much, he thought about Kita. Then he fell asleep with a smile on his lips as he thought about the excitement that the next day was sure to bring. 

  
  
  



	2. To Catch A Fox

Early the next day, Daichi woke up to a text from Kita. 

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Goodmorning, captain. _

Daichi grinned sleepily as he started texting out a reply. His teammates were all still asleep around him, which was a lucky thing; he was blushing and probably looked very goofy at the moment as he stared at his phone.

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ And goodmorning to you as well, captain. Did you sleep well? _

Kita's response came quickly. Daichi wondered if Kita was still in bed, or already up for the day. And the disappointment from the previous day was bound to still be lingering with Kita, so Daichi wondered how his fellow captain was handling it.

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I slept as well as I could considering how troublesome my teammates are. _

Daichi chuckled quietly to himself. He understood the irritations that came with being captain, and how demanding it could be to keep rowdy teammates quiet and behaved. It was definitely frustrating at times. 

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I feel that. My teammates were up pretty late despite how wiped out they all were. Idk where they get that energy from. _

Suga stirred around just then, and Daichi thought his friend would be waking up. But instead, Suga just rolled over in his spot beside Daichi. And Asahi was laying on Daichi's other side, still soundly asleep. 

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ My teammates were up late as well. They're all still sleeping, but I need to get them up soon so they can get to their sightseeing. I'm looking forward to seeing you. _

Daichi smiled at the last part of the text. 

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I'm excited to see you, too. And I'm wondering what you're planning on giving me for luck. Can I have a hint? _

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ It's probably not nearly as exciting as you're hoping for it to be. And no hints. ;) _

Daichi let out a chuckle, which was enough to make Suga roll back over and give a sleepy but smug grin. That sly setter probably figured out who Daichi was texting without much effort. While choosing to ignore Suga's amused stare, Daichi replied to Kita's text.

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I'd like anything if it was from you. My teammates are starting to wake up, so I have to go. _

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I'll wait for you outside the gymnasium before your first game. See you then, captain.  _

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I'll find you there, captain. _

Daichi put his phone down and was met with Suga's impish smirk. "So, how's your lover?"

"Shut it, Suga. He isn't my lover," Daichi replied with a fresh blush as he sat up. 

Suga sat up while yawning and stretching his hands over his head. Then he gave Daichi a lazy grin and a wink. "Don’t you mean,  _ ‘not my lover, yet’? _ Keep at it Daichi. I guarantee that you’ll get him."

Daichi leaned his elbows on his knees and hid his blushing face in his hands. "I'm not sure if anything will come of it. He’s nice, though. I think I like him."

Asahi's sudden voice startled Daichi. "Then you shouldn't let the chance slip away. Try to see him before he leaves town."

"I didn't realize you were awake," Daichi replied as he peeked at Asahi. "And I'm already planning on seeing him. He’s coming to watch me play."

Suga giggled at that. "Coming to watch  _ just you _ play? Don't you mean coming to watch the other games?"

"Well, technically he said he was coming to watch  _ me _ , and cheer  _ me _ on. He didn't mention any other teams or players,” Daichi mumbled. 

"Sounds like he has a big crush on you,” Asahi said in a sincere voice.

Suga nodded in agreement. "Yeah, definitely. I didn't realize he was pursuing you so actively. Oh my goodness, Daichi. Are you prepared for a long distance relationship?"

"I'm not prepared for anything, nor do I have plans of any kind," Daichi replied calmly. 

There was a distinct look of judgement and disappointment on Suga's face. "Please don't lead him on if you don't want anything real with him. That’s cruel. You know how much it hurt when you had people do that to you."

Suga's words sliced into Daichi, as they were likely intended to do. There had been some people that had led Daichi on in the past, either for fun or for curiosity. And those were not pleasant experiences. 

"That’s not at all what I meant. I'm just going to see how things go. And I don't want to get my hopes up," Daichi replied quietly. 

Suga hummed in understanding as he patted Daichi's shoulder. "Oh, sorry for assuming the worst. But I get a good feeling from Kita-san. So if you like him, you should tell him before he leaves.”

Asahi nodded in agreement. “When were you going to see him?"

"Before our first game today. He’s meeting me outside the gymnasium to give me something," Daichi replied with a little grin as he wondered about what Kita had in store for him. 

Asahi started blushing from secondhand embarrassment, probably from assuming there was going to be a kiss between Daichi and Kita. "Uh, what’s he giving you?"

Suga giggled as he reached out to squeeze Daichi’s cheeks with one hand, which made his lips smoosh out slightly. "Yes, what exactly is he wanting to give to our pure, innocent captain?"

Daichi pushed Suga’s hand away, then moved to clean up his bedding. "Nothing for you to worry about."

"So it's something good, then?" Suga said playfully as he went to stand and clean up his own sleeping spot. 

Meanwhile, Asahi was still blushing deeply on Daichi's behalf as he sat unmoving.

"I don't know what it is, but it's probably not anything too impressive. That's what Kita-san said, at least," Daichi replied while trying not to sound as excited about it as he felt. 

"I’d bet it actually is something  _ impressive  _ and  _ intimate, _ " Suga replied with a prankish grin. 

Daichi chose to ignore Suga while starting to rouse the rest of the team. They had a game to worry about, and he couldn't let all his thoughts be consumed by Kita. Although, now he was even more curious about what Kita planned to give him. 

"Wake up and put away your bedding, guys. We have a big day today!" Daichi said with a few claps of his hands. 

His teammates started to stir, and those who didn't got tickled by Suga. A harsh way to wake up, in Daichi's opinion. But he liked to let his vice captain handle some things in his own way. 

Once the team was fully awake and ready, they ate breakfast while coach Ukai went over their plays and strategy for the game against Nekoma. Everyone's nerves were on edge, though excitement crackled through the air. It was a long awaited day; everyone felt the momentous weight of it.

Finally, Daichi and his team were heading back to the stadium for their next match at nationals. 

As they walked up to the large building, Daichi glanced around to look for Kita. It didn't take long to find the black and grey haired captain. He was standing all alone while leaning against a wall nearby the doors. And when he caught sight of Daichi, he gave a slight smile; and that smile had a very alluring quality to it. 

Daichi felt his heartbeat speed up as he glanced from Kita to Suga, who was beside him. "Hey, I'll meet you all in there."

Suga gave a playful wink and a nod. "I'll take care of things here, Daichi. Go catch yourself a fox."

Daichi blushed slightly as he walked away from his teammates and got closer to where Kita stood. Kita was wearing his maroon volleyball sweats and matching jacket, which he looked very nice in. And he was still wearing his bewitching smile.

Daichi felt himself starting to smile in response. But when they were finally face to face, he suddenly felt nervous; more so than he thought he would. So he scratched the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "Hey. It’s good to see you."

Kita nodded; his smile remained steadily in place. "Hello, captain."

Hearing Kita call him captain in person made Daichi get a rush of excitement even more intense than when he had read the word over text. And he knew he was probably going to sound cheesy, but he wasn't going to be outdone. So he steeled his resolve and gave his most confident grin. "So, I've been wondering and wondering about what you're going to give me for luck, captain."

The words had the effect that Daichi had hoped for; Kita blushed slightly and his smile turned a little shy. He glanced away as he reached behind his neck and fiddled with something, then pulled a necklace off of himself. He held it in his hand and closed his fingers around it as he spoke.

"This ain't fancy. And it's not for you to keep, just to borrow. Maybe you won't even want to wear it…. This was my grandmother's necklace. She gave it to me when I was made captain. And it's not really about luck, because I don't believe in luck. But I do believe that a good state of mind is important. And wearing this necklace makes me confident. So if you want, you can wear it during your games today," Kita said while looking up to meet Daichi's gaze with a soft and vulnerable expression. 

Daichi really liked the look that Kita was giving him, and he was touched by how considerate of a gesture it was. So he reached towards Kita's closed fist and held his hand out flat. "I'd be honored to wear your necklace today."

Kita opened his hand to show off the necklace. It was a silver circle just about the size of Kita's thumb. And it had the kanji for devotion engraved in the center. "Can I put it on for you?"

Daichi pulled his hand back. "Should I turn around?"

Kita shook his head. "No, that's alright. I'm good at latchin' it without lookin'."

After unhooking the clasp on the necklace, Kita stepped close and reached both hands behind Daichi's neck, then worked to hook the chain back together. And he kept his eyes on Daichi's face while wearing a thoughtful expression. There was a hint of a smile that pulled up just one side of his mouth, and it gave way to a slight dimple right beside his lips. 

Daichi's eyes fell to look at that dimple; it was a very attractive thing for such a small part of Kita's face. If they knew each other better, and were not out in a public place, Daichi would have been very tempted to run his thumb over that dimple. Then across Kita's lips. And maybe he'd gently press on Kita's lower lip to open his mouth, and then he'd grab Kita's chin between his fingers and lean it for a….

Daichi looked away, feeling embarrassed by his thoughts. Having Kita so close to him was having quite an effect on him; he hoped that the pounding of his heart wasn't as loud as it seemed. 

Kita had just gotten the necklace secured around Daichi's neck, so he stepped back to admire it. Then he gave a small nod. "I hope that brings you confidence today, Sawamura-san."

Daichi gave a warm smile. He was finding Kita to be more attractive by the minute, as well as very endearing. "Thanks for thinking of me. I'll take good care of it for you. Should I plan to give it back to you later today, then?"

Kita nodded as a light blush dusted his cheeks. "If you wouldn't mind. I'll be here until you're done playin', and I know you’ll make it through round three and end up havin' two games today."

Daichi chuckled at that. He had almost forgotten that today was hell day. The day when the teams that win would have to play two games; one for round three and one for the quarterfinals. 

"I'll look for you in the audience. And I'll try to find you after the Nekoma game. Before our next one starts, assuming we make it through," Daichi said as he shuffled his feet a bit.

Kita gave Daichi a confident smile. "You'll win today, and I'll be cheerin' for you. Go ahead and catch up with your team, now. I've kept you long enough."

Daichi took one last look at Kita's lips before giving a slight bow. "I'll see you later, captain."

"See you, captain," Kita said with a suddenly shy smile. But it was soon replaced with his alluring one; he winked as he turned and walked into the gymnasium. 

A part of Daichi wanted to follow Kita and sit with him to enjoy watching the games together. But a bigger part of him was roaring to go up against Nekoma. Even more so, now that he had the special necklace from Kita hanging around his neck. He reached up and ran his fingers over it as he walked inside the gymnasium to find his team. 

When Daichi reached the rest of Karasuno, he walked over and stood between Suga and Asahi.

Always the observant type, Suga immediately saw the necklace around Daichi’s neck. “Is that from Kita-san?”

Daichi blushed slightly and nodded. “Yeah, he's letting me borrow it to wear during today's games.”

“Aw, that’s really cute and sweet! You two are so soft for each other already,” Suga teased as he elbowed Daichi’s ribs with excessive force. 

With a light shove, Daichi moved Suga away. “You’re going to crack my ribs, Suga. Quit it.”

“If you get cracked ribs, I bet Kita-san will nurse you back to health,” Suga whispered in an almost evil voice. “I’d be doing you a favor.”

“I can’t play my best for our game against Nekoma if I’m injured,” Daichi quipped. 

Just like that, Suga suddenly grew serious. 

Asahi looked more intense as well. 

And Daichi’s expression matched those of his friends. 

“Let’s get out there and do this,” Daichi said in a voice filled with confidence and conviction. 

Suga and Asahi both nodded, then the group of third years went to rally the team and get warmed up.

The first game was intense and incredible. Both teams were bringing everything they had and more. When they thought they couldn't go on any longer, they somehow managed to push another point through. And Daichi had figured out where Kita was sitting before the first match started. So throughout the whole match against Nekoma, he found himself looking up at his crush to nod or smile each time a rally ended. 

Kita gave him a confident grin each time their eyes met. 

Daichi knew that Kita was watching him closely; it drove him on and gave him even more motivation to win. Not that he lacked the drive to do so before. But something about having Kita be there for him, and only him, made Daichi’s pride and dedication increase by tenfold. 

When they finally won against Nekoma, it was like a waterfall of joy burst over the whole team. As Daichi dipped under the net to hug Kuroo and shake hands with each of Nekoma’s team members, he felt like crying and laughing at the same time. They had made it through round three and would be advancing to the quarterfinals. 

Daichi took a moment to look up at Kita in the audience, feeling sure that Kita looked as proud as he himself felt. He pulled Kita's necklace out from where it had slipped under his shirt, then brought the small silver circle to his lips; he kissed it as he nodded at Kita. 

He could see Kita’s smile widen, but it was too far away to tell if he was blushing or not. Though Daichi kind of hoped that he was. Then Kita held his phone up and pointed at it, indicating that he would text Daichi. So Daichi nodded, and then returned his focus to finishing his greetings with Nekoma. And he said hello to Bokuto and the rest of Fukurodani as they came over. Once it was time for Fukurodani to play their game, Daichi and the rest of Karasuno made their way out off the court. 

Daichi put his jacket on and checked his texts; he had a few from Kita.

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ You played very well! Congratulations!  _

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Would you like to get lunch together? It would be my treat, as a celebration of you making it to the quarterfinals.  _

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Of course, if you wanted to eat with your team instead, I understand completely.  _

Daichi decided to call Kita as he was walking down the hallway with his teammates; it would be faster and easier than texting. 

Kita picked up on the second ring. “Hey, congratulations. Watchin' you play gave me the chills.”

Daichi blushed at the compliment. “Thanks for saying so. I just saw your texts, and I would really enjoy having lunch with you.”

“Alright. Where are you right now?” 

Daichi looked around himself and noticed that his team was surrounding him while watching him closely. He felt his face warm up as he spoke. “Meet me outside of the bathroom from yesterday?”

Kita chuckled before replying. “I ain’t gonna call you sentimental, though it kinda seems like you are. See you there in a minute, captain.”

"Be right there," Daichi said before he hung up and looked at Suga, who was giving him the biggest, most smug grin ever. 

“Who are you planning to meet in the bathroom, and what for?” Suga asked while barely keeping himself from giggling. 

Daichi chose to ignore Suga at first, turning instead to the team. “Go eat lunch and rest while you can. We have to be ready for our next game.” Then he turned back to Suga. "I'm meeting Kita-san. I’ll be back soon, call me if anything happens here."

Without any other explanation, Daichi walked off and quickly made his way to the bathroom from yesterday. He found Kita typing on his phone while leaning against the wall. He was still so full of excitement from winning that he put aside the reserved part of himself and went right up to Kita, pulling his fellow captain into a hug. 

Kita seemed slightly surprised, but ended up chuckling and returning the embrace; he squeezed Daichi tightly. “You pIayed well, captain. I can’t wait to watch your next game.”

Daichi blushed as he pulled back from the hug. Then he reached up and held the borrowed necklace between his thumb and finger. “I bet this was half of my success. Thanks again for letting me borrow it.”

Kita nodded and looked content. "Glad it gave you some extra confidence. There's a little restaurant right outside the gymnasium, wanna go there?"

"Sure, that sounds great," Daichi replied with a grin. 

The two of them started going towards the gymnasium doors. They walked close enough for their arms to brush together, and Daichi wished he wasn't so sweaty, especially considering how Kita was dressed in clean clothes. He felt slightly gross in comparison. 

And then he realized that he had hugged Kita while in dirty clothes; it made him frown slightly. "Sorry for giving you a sweaty hug just now."

Kita glanced at Daichi as they walked towards a small building that was a short distance away. “That ain't a problem. I'm used to bein' sweaty, and bein' around sweaty people. I was gonna hug you anyway, you just beat me to it.”

Daichi chuckled at that. "I didn't mean to take that win away from you."

Kita gave a sly smile. "I ain't plannin' on lettin' you beat me all the time. Sometimes I'm gonna reach you, or pass you up."

There was something almost predatory about the look in Kita's eyes, and it gave Daichi an excited feeling. So his mouth twisted into a smirk as he spoke. "I'm not that easy to catch, you know."

"I'm up for the chase," Kita replied with a wink as they arrived at the small restaurant. 

Daichi felt his cheeks warm up from their flirting as they were taken to a table. 

"Order whatever you want, my treat," Kita said as he flipped open his menu. 

Daichi grinned playfully. "Maybe I should be the one treating you, though. As like, a consolation prize."

Kita's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm the one takin' you out. I'll pay."

"I don't know," Daichi said slowly as he looked from Kita to his menu. "If I pay, I can call our little lunch thing whatever I want."

Kita raised an eyebrow and gave a challenging look. "And what did you wanna call it?"

Daichi didn't know where his boldness was coming from, but he was both thankful for and terrified of it. "A date."

An alluring smile flashed over Kita's lips. "It's gonna be a date either way, then. Because I asked you out on one. That's one thing I beat you at."

"At asking me out first?" Daiched questioned with a chuckle. 

Kita nodded confidently at Daichi. Then he flagged down the waiter. "I'll have curry and rice," he said. After he gave his order, he looked back at Daichi with a perfectly calm expression. "What'll you have, darlin'?

Daichi felt his face heat up at the sudden pet name. Kita had definitely just challenged him again, and he wouldn't back down. Though, he couldn't even look at the waiter as he spoke. "I'll have the same as… my date."

The waiter nodded and walked away, having had the decency to ignore the heavy blush on Daichi's face. 

Kita and Daichi then stared at each other, and both were blushing at that point. It was Kita who spoke first. "That's two wins for me."

"I'll admit that you won that time," Daichi said with a sheepish grin. "You caught me off guard."

Kita just smirked, then drank some of his water while looking Daichi straight in the eye. It gave Dachi a bit of a rush to be under Kita's sharp gaze. And not at all in a bad way. 

They ate their lunch quickly because Daichi needed to get back to the gymnasium. When it came time for paying, Kita snatched the check before Daichi could while giving a wink. All Daichi could do was chuckle and shake his head.

"I'm paying for our next date," Daichi said as they walked out of the restaurant together. 

Kita gave the sly smile that seemed to always get Daichi's heartbeat speeding up. "We'll see about that."

When they reached the gymnasium and went inside, Kita stayed with Daichi. And when they walked up to where the Karasuno players were gathered, a bunch of eyes instantly darted back and forth between them. There probably would have been a ruckus on any other day. 

Except, there wasn't. And that was likely because both Daichi and Kita had their stern captain faces on. Double the intimidation, double the silence.

Daichi cleared his throat. "How are we looking for time?"

Suga spoke up, and he was the only one who dared to wear a smirk. "We're going to start the next game in about ten minutes. You two are right on time."

Daichi nodded. "Good. Start warming up, I'll be right back," he said as he turned to walk Kita over to the stands. 

"What's the captain of Inarizaki doing here with our captain!?" Hinata squeaked while Daichi and Kita were still in earshot.

Suga laughed heartily and ruffled Hinata's hair. "It's just young love, and you can't stop it once it starts."

Daichi sighed as he walked Kita towards his seat. "I'm going to get all kinds of questions when I get back."

"Don't let your team give you a hard time, captain," Kita said calmly. 

Daichi glanced at Kita with a warm smile. "I won't. Hey, when this game is over, will you meet me outside that same bathroom again?"

With a raise of his eyebrow, Kita gave a slightly teasing grin. "Even I'm gonna feel sentimental about that bathroom at this rate."

Daichi let out a deep chuckle. "It's all about the company, not the location. And besides, I just want to know where to find you so we can spend the evening together. What time do you leave tomorrow?"

"Once the team is up and ready," Kita replied. 

They had reached Kita's seat at that point. It overlooked where Daichi's next game would be and was right in the front row. 

Kita turned and gave Daichi a nod. "Go get 'em, captain. I'll be here watchin'. And I'll meet you at the bathroom afterwards."

Daichi grinned and pulled Kita into a hug. "I needed this for extra luck."

Kita returned the embrace and squeezed Daichi tightly. "You can have all my luck, but you don't need it to win. You're a good player with a skilled team."

"Thank you, Kita-san," Daichi said as he pulled away. 

The crowd started to cheer as the team that Karasuno would be playing rolled out onto the court. Daichi glanced down at them and saw his own team gathering at the entrance to the court, where Suga was waving up at him in an incredibly sassy way. 

"Alright, I'd better go now,” Daichi remarked.

Kita went to sit down. "Show me your best stuff, captain."

Daichi gave a nod and then walked away so he could join his team. He felt completely confident that the win would go to Karasuno, and he couldn't wait to taste victory again; to celebrate with his team, and with Kita.

  
  
  
  



	3. Two Captains Come Together

When Daichi reached the rest of his team, he decided to give a little encouragement before they walked out onto the court, since everyone was worn out from the game with Nekoma.

"We’re one of the top eight teams in the nation. I know that playing another game right after playing Nekoma seems ridiculous. We're all tired. But we've come a long way, and we still have a long way to go. If we make it through, we play the semifinals. That means center court!"

Daichi's words had the intended effect; the whole team seemed to fill up with pride and determination. Every single one of them was ready to give all they had to the challenge.

As the game started, Hinata scored the first point; it got everyone amped up. 

Then Daichi glanced up at Kita right before Kamomedai’s team served. The two captains nodded at each other. It was as if Kita was saying,  _ 'lead them with your presence, captain.' _

Daichi focused on the serve and was able to solidly receive it, sending the ball up to where it needed to go. Then his team launched into a synchro attack, and Tanaka slammed the ball down onto the other side of the court. Karasuno was flowing together; they felt powerful and well coordinated. 

Throughout the game, it was give and take; Karasuno would score, then Kamomedai would take a point back. It seemed like neither team could get a significant lead. But towards the end, Kamomedai started to pull ahead. They ended up taking the first set. 

When Daichi glanced up at Kita before the next set started, Kita’s serious expression basically said,  _ ‘you guys are gonna make it, keep pushin’ through.’ _

In response, Daichi pulled out Kita’s necklace and brought it to his lips before mouthing,  _ ‘we’ve got this.’ _

Kita smiled and nodded.

The second set was neck to neck. The game was so intense that Daichi hardly had a chance to look over at Kita, but he knew that his fellow captain was out there watching him. And he knew that his team was giving their all. However, Asahi was starting to get discouraged when his spikes kept getting blocked.

So Daichi smacked Asahi on the back. “Hold it right there, doom and gloom guy. Did you think you’d score every single shot? No one can do that.”

Suga spoke up with encouragement as well, if it could really be called that. “Get over yourself! Stop being so stressed and depressed!”

Asahi pulled himself back together and tried again. Then Nishinoya ended up saving a missed shot that Asahi wasn’t able to get through. That moment helped bolster their spirits; the team felt renewed energy. 

After that, Suga was subbed in for Kageyama. Then Asahi made an amazing fake out point, and he was so excited about it that he smacked Daichi’s hands too hard in celebration. Daichi laughed and shook his hands out to get rid of the stinging pain, then glanced up to see Kita, who was giving an approving smile. He felt glad that Kita was seeing how strong his team could be.

As the second set dragged on, Daichi felt exhaustion wearing on him. But he also felt determined. He thought of the necklace he was wearing, with the kanji for devotion engraved on it. Devotion was a great word for how he felt about his team; he was dedicated to them, just as they were to him. He was thankful for Kita for letting him borrow the necklace. 

Hinata kept scoring point after point. Karasuno had great momentum, and soon the score was 24 for Karasuno and 22 for Kamomedai. Daichi craved the win; he could taste it. When a strong spike came from Kamomedai, Tsukishima was able to bait the spiker and then dodge it. It went out of bounds, giving Karasuno the set. 

Daichi smacked Tsukishima on the back and laughed. He had never felt more proud of his teammate. Then he looked up at the audience to give Kita an exuberant smile. 

Kita seemed genuinely happy for Daichi, and for Karasuno. Suddenly, the Miya twins showed up beside Kita, and the captain scooted over so they could sit with him. Daichi saw Kita speaking with them, perhaps discussing how the sets had gone. 

In the third set, Kamomedai started to take the lead. It was a tough battle. At one point, Hinata was blocked even though the play had been perfect. But Daichi managed to save the ball and keep it up. 

Play after play, point after point; then they were tied. 

Kageyama tried a setter dump, but it was blocked. However, Daichi managed to save it with his foot; he couldn’t very well let all the first years show him up. He didn’t have time to look at Kita in the audience, but he hoped that his fellow captain was impressed by his ridiculous save.

Hinata managed to slam the ball over, and the whole team cheered; it was a glorious moment. But when Hinata went to stand up from where he had landed, he fell forward instead. The whole team froze and looked at him. Then Takeda called for a time out and Hinata was taken to the bench. It was discovered that Hinata had a fever; he wouldn’t be able to finish the game.

Daichi felt horrible for not noticing sooner. He thought Hinata had just been extra absorbed in the game, more so than usual. As Hinata was helped off the court, Daichi walked over and cleared his throat. “We’ll miss having you out here. This team needs you, so take care of yourself.”

Hinata was clearly emotional about being taken out of the game. But the whole team tried to encourage him before he left. 

Then Daichi huddled his teammates together for a motivational talk. “We may be missing a piece of our key play right now, but we have what it takes! We have what we need! Let’s get out there and win this!”

The whole team yelled out together. "Karasuno, fight on!"

Daichi looked up at Kita before stepping back onto the court. There was compassion in Kita’s expression, as well as assurance. His eyes were saying,  _ ‘don’t let this stop you. Take what you want, captain. Lead your team and grab the win.’ _

Once more, Daichi pulled out the necklace and brought it to his lips. He would give all of his devotion to this moment in time, to winning this game. Then he gave Kita a final nod before returning to the court. 

The set continued on neck to neck; a point lost, a point scored. Karasuno kept pushing and playing hard. But disaster struck again when Tsukishima got a leg cramp and had to be taken off the court. But with Yamaguchi as a substitute middle blocker, the game went on. 

Kamomedai got to 24 points first, and they almost spiked in for their last needed point. But Daichi managed to dig the ball and send it up to Kageyama. Asahi was able to blast the ball over, but Kamomedai’s players kept the ball from falling. And then, in a final effort, Kamomedai’s little giant shot the ball over to Karasuno's side of the court. It bounced off of Nishinoya’s attempt to receive it, and the game went to Kamomedai. 

Karasuno had lost.

That’s when Daichi felt exhaustion take him. He fell to his knees and laid on his back right in the middle of the court, breathing heavily. His team had lost. This was the end for him, his last game. His volleyball days were over. 

From the floor, he glanced over at Kita. Their eyes met while Kita gave a solemn nod. He pointed to his phone before standing up and leaving his seat, indicating he would text Daichi and would be waiting for him.

Once the handshakes were done, and they had bowed to the cheering section, the players started to leave the court. But Daichi and the other third years, Shimizu included, gave a final bow to the volleyball court to thank it for their years of involvement in the sport. Then Bokuto and Kuroo came down to give Daichi and the others some handshakes, hugs and congratulations for playing a good game. 

As they left the court, Daichi spoke to his team. “We made it to the top eight in our very first trip to nationals. You guys can go a lot further.”

Kageyama cleared his throat. “I wanted to take  _ this _ team a lot further.”

Suga started crying as he headbutted Kageyama. 

Meanwhile Daichi shook his head and laughed as tears pricked his eyes. Kageyama, and the whole team, had grown so much together. In the end, Daichi felt nothing but pride; he knew he had been part of building up Karasuno's future. 

Karasuno's loss weighed heavily on the whole team, but they tried to stay positive and encourage each other. No one felt unnecessarily guilty, and no one blamed anyone else. It had been an amazing experience to get to play at nationals. 

When Daichi reached into his jacket and took his phone out, there was a text from Kita. 

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ I'll be waiting in our sentimental bathroom. _

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Be right there. _

He turned to look at Suga, and his friend seemed to have read his mind. 

"Go on and find Kita. Just meet us back at the hotel, okay?" Suga said while giving Daichi a push towards the hallway that led to the bathroom. And he also took Daichi's bag. "I'll take your stuff back with me. But don’t take too long, Daichi. We'll be eating well tonight.”

Daichi nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Suga. I appreciate it."

He turned and walked towards the bathroom where Kita was waiting for him. His legs shook slightly as he walked, and it was from pure exhaustion. He couldn’t wait to lay down later; he even contemplated laying down right there in the hallway a couple different times. That’s how worn out he was from playing the two long games that day.

When he reached the bathroom, he walked inside and found Kita leaning against a wall.

Kita stepped forward and held his arms open, offering a hug. “You played well today, captain. And so did your team.”

Daichi stepped into the embrace and sagged against Kita. “Thanks, captain. I’m totally drained.”

“I imagine so, after all your effort today. You should be proud,” Kita said as he let Daichi lean heavily on him.

They held each other tightly. Daichi felt a few tears prick at his eyes, but overall he didn’t feel very sad at the moment. He had given it his all. And his team had given their all; there was nothing else they could have done.

Kita seemed to be thinking the same. “We both gave all we had to these games we played at nationals. We built up our bodies over the last few years, and that’s gonna come in handy. The habits and routines we’ve grown accustomed to, and the courage of facin' others on the court... we can take that with us into the future. And build ourselves up even more.”

Daichi stepped out of the hug and nodded. “I agree. I’m glad we got to play at nationals this year, and I’m especially glad that I met you because of it.”

“I’d like to take you into my future with me, Daichi,” Kita said with a calm assertiveness. "We live far apart right now. But I'm done with school soon, and so are you. Are you up for makin' things work long distance for now?"

Daichi considered the question. Doing a long distance relationship would be challenging, but it would only be for a few months. And that would give them a lot of time to get to know each other through calls and texts. Then they could figure out their next step once they graduated. 

So Daichi looked at Kita and winked. "Long distance might be hard, but I'm not afraid of a challenge."

Kita nodded and gave a satisfied grin. "I'm glad you agree, Sawamura-san."

Daichi cleared his throat and looked down at his feet. "I know we don't know each other that well yet… but I feel like we can be more casual since we’re dating. So, you can call me Daichi."

Kita blushed deeply at that; much more than Daichi would have expected. He gently bit at his lower lip before responding. "I’m alright with that… Daichi. In that case, you can call me Shin."

“Let's go then, Shin,” Daichi said as he led them out of the bathroom. Walking felt like a huge chore at that moment thanks to how much his muscles were trembling from exhaustion. He glanced down at Kita's hand, which kept brushing against his own, then smiled and reached to intertwine their fingers as he looked up to see if Kita was okay with it. 

"You're awful bold now that we're datin'," Kita said with a slightly teasing air. He didn't seem unhappy about holding hands, though.

Daichi gave his most confident grin. "Well, you're going to go back to where you live tomorrow. I have to hold your hand while I can. Also, I'm so tired that I might fall over, so I'm using you for support."

Kita hummed quietly as he wrapped his arm around Daichi's waist. "I ain't against public affection and all that." 

Daichi smiled gratefully as he put his arm over Kita's shoulders and let his new boyfriend take on some of his weight. "How long can we hang out this evening?"

"There’s nothin' goin' on for me tonight. I'm all yours." Kita replied calmly with a wink. 

Daichi blushed at Kita’s words. He liked thinking that Kita was all his, and only his. "Do you mind if we swing by the hotel my team is staying at so I can shower and change my clothes? And after that, I'm taking you on a date."

Kita glanced at Daichi curiously. "What kinda date?"

"I’m not sure yet. But I'll think of it by the time I'm cleaned up," Daichi replied with a chuckle. "And it'll be memorable."

"Are you gonna try and outdo our date from earlier?" Kita asked while cracking a slight grin.

Daichi boldly leaned over to kiss Kita on his cheek. "I couldn't outdo you,  _ darling. _ "

Kita blushed at Daichi using the pet name from earlier. "You're gettin' me all flustered."

"Now you know how I've been feeling since I first met you," Daichi said playfully as he nudged his hip against Kita's. They ended up grinning sheepishly at each other while they walked out of the gymnasium. 

It didn't take that long to get to the hotel, and the rest of Karasuno’s team was already there. As Daichi and Kita walked in with their arms around each other, all of Daichi’s team members looked up at them. They had varying levels of surprise on their faces.

However, Suga gave an approving nod. "Glad to see our captain being escorted home by his date, and at such a reasonable hour."

Daichi rolled his eyes. "We're going back out after I shower."

"We're having food soon. Why don't you both stay to eat, then go back out after?" Asahi offered with a shy smile.

Daichi turned to look at Kita. "Do you feel like eating here before we go out?"

"That'd be fine with me," Kita replied while giving Daichi's waist a squeeze. 

Daichi nodded at Kita. "Alright. I'm going to rinse off really quick." He then looked at his teammates and spoke firmly. "Don't be rude to our guest, and don't ask him weird questions."

Suga gave a mischievous smile. "No promises about what kind of questions might get asked. I need to know what this young man's intentions are. It's my duty as your vice captain and best friend!"

"Be good, Suga," Daichi said in a serious voice. Then he let go of Kita and started walking towards the bathroom. 

As he showered, he hoped that Suga wouldn't tell any embarrassing stories or do anything to scare Kita off. So he hurried through rinsing off and was quick to get dressed after; he made sure to bring Kita’s necklace along as well.

When he came back into the room where everyone was gathered, he almost laughed right then and there. All his teammates were respectfully sitting in a half circle, facing Kita. And Kita was standing there calmly while answering volleyball related questions. 

Asahi caught sight of Daichi and got up to walk over to him. "Kita-san told everyone that if they were calm, he would give some volleyball tips.”

Daichi grinned at that. He should have known Kita would be able to handle his rowdy teammates just fine. After a moment, he walked over to Kita, put his necklace on him, then stood beside him as he spoke to the rest of the team.

Kita was in the middle of talking about spiking practice, and he reached to hold Daichi's hand without breaking his concentration. "So that's why it's important to make sure you practice spikes with everyone on your team, not just the setter."

Tanaka nodded sincerely at the advice; he must have been the one who asked.

Suga grinned at Daichi and then raised his hand, which was apparently a requirement for asking a question. He spoke once Kita nodded at him. "What's your relationship with our captain?"

"As of today, he's my boyfriend. But that's not volleyball related, Sugawara-san," Kita said with a flat expression. 

Nishinoya raised his hand next. Kita nodded at him, so he asked his question. "Who asked who out?"

"I asked. That's also not volleyball related, so we can be done with questions now," Kita said decidedly. 

Daichi chuckled. "I see you've been keeping these guys in line for me."

Kita gave a small nod. "You have a rowdy bunch, here. But I've dealt with the Miya twins for a long time. So your teams trouble is nothin' much, compared to those two."

Just then, coach Ukai and Takeda sensei walked in with a few bags of food. Takeda sensei looked slightly surprised to see Kita there. But when he saw Daichi and Kita's intertwined fingers, he gave a knowing smile and set out an extra plate for Kita. 

They all ate together, and the conversation died down. Everyone was starving; they focused on the food rather than talking. And the loss of the game was still lingering in the air, but no one was crying; most had gotten their tears out earlier, or had saved their tears for later. They wanted to enjoy this last meal together as a team.

Although, they all wished Hinata could be eating with them. But the orange haired boy was resting in a different room. 

After dinner, Daichi and Kita left the hotel for their date. Takeda sensei had asked Daichi not to go too far, so he decided that they would just walk around and find somewhere to sit. Luckily, there was a park just a couple blocks away. They sat on a bench there and huddled against each other for warmth; it was a cold January night and the temperature was close to freezing.

Daichi reached an arm up and rested it behind Kita's shoulders, giving his boyfriend a grin. "I like hanging out with you."

"I like spendin' time with you, too," Kita said while wearing the half smile that made his dimple show up. 

Daichi could just see the dimple thanks to a street light that was nearby. He suddenly had the same urge as last time he had seen it so close; he wanted to run his thumb over it. And since they were alone now, he went ahead and did it. 

He gently traced his thumb over the skin beside Kita's mouth where the dimple was. He was staring at that spot, and then glanced at Kita's lips. They had parted slightly when he had touched Kita's face; he liked the way they looked.

When Daichi finally glanced up at Kita's eyes, he saw an eager gleam in them; Kita looked like he wanted exactly what Daichi himself wanted. 

Kita gave his bewitching smile while reaching up to hold Daichi's chin, then looked down at Daichi's lips; he closed his eyes as he leaned in. 

Daichi closed his eyes as well, right as his lips met Kita's. They felt as soft as they had looked, and tasted like the citrus lip balm that Kita liked to use. The two captains kept their lips pressed together for a long moment, moving them gently against each other. 

Daichi could feel his heartbeat hammering in his chest when he and Kita broke the kiss. It had been too short; he wanted more. There was a moment of silence before he cleared his throat. "I'll miss doing that when we both go back home."

Kita nodded. "It'll be difficult, but worth it. As long as we put daily care into our relationship, we’ll make it just fine."

"I'll be sure to call you every night," Daichi said with a soft smile. He still had his thumb on Kita's face, so he rubbed it gently along Kita's jawline. 

Kita closed his eyes at Daichi's gentle touch. "I want to take over my family's rice farm, that's my dream. So I want to stay in Hyōgo Prefecture. What do you want to do after you graduate?"

"I hadn't decided yet… but now I'm thinking about moving to Hyōgo Prefecture," Daichi said as he continued to run his thumb along Kita's cheek. 

Kita opened his eyes and smiled. "It's a good place to live."

"I know the company would be good," Daichi said as he leaned forward and pressed another kiss to Kita's mouth. He liked the way it felt to press his lips against Kita’s. They were so warm; a stark contrast to the cold air around them. He had only kissed a few other people, but he already felt sure that these kisses shared with Kita were his favorite. 

When Daichi pulled back from the kiss, he let out a yawn. The long day was catching up to him. 

Kita gave a contemplative look, then stood up. He pulled Daichi up by the hand and intertwined their fingers, then led Daichi back towards the hotel. “You need rest. You played two long games today.”

“I do agree that I need to sleep, preferably for a very long time. But I’m having some trouble accepting that I have to let you leave. I won’t see you for a few months, after this,” Daichi said sadly as he walked along beside Kita. 

Kita squeezed Daichi’s hand. “We could video chat, then you’ll get to see me every day.”

Daichi pulled at Kita’s hand, spinning his boyfriend into a hug. “I won’t get to touch you for a long time.”

Kita returned the embrace firmly. “It’ll make it that much better if we have to wait a while for our next hug.”

“And our next kiss,” Daichi said, as he pulled back and gave a small grin. 

Kita leaned forward to press a quick kiss to Daichi’s lips. “Yes, I’ll be wantin’ a lot more of these.”

“I’ll save them up, then unleash them all on you next time I get to hold you in my arms again,” Daichi promised. 

“I’ll be sure to hold you to your word,” Kita replied.

The two captains shared a few more kisses before they finally went back to the hotel. Daichi watched Kita walk away until he was out of sight. 

Once he made it back inside, he found all his teammates were already asleep. So he went and crawled into his own spot, which Suga or Asahi had set up for him. He settled in and had just closed his eyes when he felt his phone vibrate. 

**From Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Goodnight, Daichi. I'll wake up early tomorrow and come steal one more kiss from you before I leave.  _

Daichi smiled sleepily as he typed out a response. 

**To Kita Shinsuke:**

_ Make it more than just one. Goodnight, Shin.  _

  
  
  
  



End file.
